


A Change Of Scenery

by Sun_Moon_Stars_Jedi



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Hood/Arsenal (Comics)
Genre: Batfamily (DCU), Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Fluff and Humor, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Jason Todd is Robin, M/M, Mild Language, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25706539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sun_Moon_Stars_Jedi/pseuds/Sun_Moon_Stars_Jedi
Summary: Jason finds himself stuck in the past while Roy has to deal with the fourteen year old version of his husband.Time travel is just so much fun!
Relationships: Roy Harper/Jason Todd
Comments: 195
Kudos: 739





	1. Chapter 1

Jason woke with a jolt, feeling harsh coldness and unforgiving concrete where moments before the warm cocoon of downy blankets and a soft mattress had held him in slumber. His eyes flew open, hands automatically pushing him up to his feet as he tried to take in his surroundings, when a deep, gruff and _very_ angry voice spoke from behind him.

“What have you done with Robin?”

It was not the typical reaction this voice elicited from most people, but Jason felt himself relax slightly. Sure, Bruce was using the Batman growl and he sounded pissed, but Jason knew he did not have to fear his father. The time when they had been truly at odds had long since passed and now they were on good terms, both as vigilantes and civilians.

Though Jason couldn’t help the slight frown from appearing on his face as he wondered why Bruce sounded so aggressive. What did Bruce think he did to the little gremlin?

As far as Jason could remember, he hadn’t seen his little brother in a few days and he hadn’t done anything to him back then either.

Also, Jason thought, frown deepening, where the fuck even was he? He was wracking his brain, but the last thing he remembered was going to bed with Roy after they had played boardgames with Lian the whole evening and had both kissed her good night, as it had been one of their precious family nights with no work for either of them.

Now however it seemed he was in some kind of warehouse, pallets and crates filling the space around him. He took in as much of his surroundings as he could while he turned around to face Bruce, but it was quite dark, so he couldn’t see far.

He noticed that the crate right next to him was halfway open and there seemed to have been something valuable in it, judging by the meticulous padding and heavy duty locks on the thing, but beyond that there was nothing standing out to him.

Taking all of this in took only a few seconds and once he was looking straight at Batman, who was standing several feet away shrouded in his usual cloak of darkness, Jason spread his hands in a sheepish gesture.

“Hey B,” he said, giving his father a slight smile, “don’t know what’s going on here, but-“

“Tell me where Robin is or I will make you regret whatever you have done to him!”

Batman had interrupted him mid-sentence, not even acknowledging his words in any way, and Jason felt himself tense up again. Bruce’s voice had still been filled with so much anger but there was something else there, something Jason hadn’t heard from his father very often; genuine fear.

Why would Bruce think Jason had done something to Damian? Those days were long past, the worst thing Jason had done in the last few months had been throwing him off a roof (which sounded bad, but the kid had been in full armor with a grapple at hand, he’d been fine; and besides, the brat had deserved it for annoying Jason).

He took an instinctive step back when Batman advanced towards him, stepping menacingly out of the shadows as Jason held up his hands in a placating gesture.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.

Bruce came closer and something started to niggle in Jason’s mind as he got a better look at Batman’s armor. Something was wrong, beyond how weird it was that Bruce treated him like an enemy. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it though.

“B,” he tried again, cutting himself off when a quiet thud sounded from inside the shadows on his side. It was a noise he had heard countless times and when he looked for the source he immediately spotted just what he had expected.

Nightwing, slightly crouched still from his landing after a jump from the rafters.

Jason opened his mouth to call out to his brother, ask him what was going on here, when Dick straightened up and started to advance on him as well.

“Where is Robin?” Nightwing also asked, but Jason was frozen, didn’t even register his question.

Because the niggling feeling he had looking at Batman had become a blinking neon sign in his head when he saw his brother. Because in front of him stood Dick in his Nightwing getup, yes, but it was the wrong damn uniform. And if his father and brother hadn’t been facing him with hostility written across every inch of their bodies, seeing the monstrosity that were the high, open collar and ridiculous gold stripes on Dick’s suit again would have had Jason laughing on the floor.

As it was he stood stock still, his mind racing. Dick was wearing the Discowing suit, Batman’s armor was wrong because it was one of the older, clunkier designs, and Jason was _so done_.

“Fuck,” he breathed, squeezing his eyes closed and pinching the bridge of his nose.

He could hear Bruce and Dick stop a few feet away from him and was sure they were exchanging a brief confused glance. This was most likely not the reaction they had expected from someone they had cornered in a dark warehouse, someone they assumed to have taken Robin.

And that made sense now too, because if he was here, now, and he took into account which time period Batman’s and Nightwing’s suits were from…

“Let me guess,” Jason said, tone weary and resigned. God, he hated time travel bullshit. “This is the exact spot where you last got a signal from Robin’s tracker and then he vanished.”

Jason opened his eyes and looked into two harsh masks, but he knew how to read both Bruce and Dick. He had obviously hit the nail on the head.

“You didn’t see what happened, but now I’m here and Robin isn’t, so it’s somehow my fault.”

He could see the start of an irritated scowl behind Dick’s mask, but Bruce’s face remained a wall of anger.

“What did you do to him?” he growled and Jason couldn’t help but scoff.

“Honestly, does it look like I did something? I’m in my pyjamas, for crying out loud.”

He gestured down to his body to emphasise his point and was pleased to see at least Dick’s stance become slightly less hostile.

“If you didn’t do anything to Robin, then where is he? And what are you doing here in your pyjamas?”

Jason could tell he had piqued Dick’s interest and turned to his brother with a slight smirk.

“What Dickiebird, don’t recognize your little brother just because he is now bigger than you?”

Dick’s jaw dropped in surprise and Jason wished he had a camera to capture this moment.

“Ja-“ Dick began, but Bruce cut him off, his voice harsh.

“What did you just call him?”

Jason couldn’t help the eye-roll as he turned to his father.

“Geez Luise, dad. I tell you I’m your son from the future and you’re worried about secret identities? Typical.”

“Son from the future,” Bruce said sceptically, but his stance had lost its aggressive edge. Jason was winning him over, he could tell.

He didn’t want to say his name out loud, who knew who or what could be listening, so he just pointed to himself and said, “Robin 2.0, all grown up. You’ve dealt with time travel before, this shouldn’t be such a shock.”

“Prove it!” Bruce demanded and Jason let out a huff, but he had expected this. He couldn’t really say anything that might reveal their identities, not while they were in some warehouse out in the open, so he opted for some rather specific details only relevant to their family.

“We met when I tried to steal your tires, he’s a human disaster who lives off of cereal and optimism, and once we get home Agent A will have the world’s most delicious cookies ready and waiting for us.”

“Robin,” Bruce said after a few moments of silence, a sense of wonder in his voice.

The name caused a pang of nostalgia in Jason’s chest. Bruce hadn’t called him that since he had died and even though they were on good terms now, it made him ache briefly for the old times when life had seemed so much easier.

“Yeah B,” he answered with a smile.

Dick had stepped closer and was now standing right in front of Jason, looking him up and down. Jason was sure Dick’s eyes were huge behind the domino. He did the math quickly and smirked.

“Technically I am older right now than you are.”

“You’re still my Little Wing,” Dick said, bringing his arms around Jason and hugging him tight. “But man, you didn’t have to get as big as B.”

Jason met Bruce’s eyes over Dick’s shoulder and he was convinced their father was amused behind the cowl. He wanted to reassure Dick that at least he would never be the smallest Wayne brother, that honour would forever befall Tim, but he bit his tongue. Dick didn’t know Tim yet, so it wouldn’t be funny to him.

Once Dick let go Bruce also came closer, clasping a hand on Jason’s shoulder and studying him thoroughly, his gaze lingering on the white streak in Jason’s hair. He was sure his father had a lot of questions, but they couldn’t openly discuss any of it here.

“We should get back to the Cave so we can talk,” Jason said, but Bruce shook his head lightly.

“First we have to look for whatever caused this and search for any traces Robin might have left.”

“I’m pretty sure whatever was in there is at fault,” Jason said, pointing to the open crate with the excessive padding. “Looks like it held some kind of staff. I’m guessing magical. Robin most likely touched it and swapped us.”

Bruce and Dick both looked over the crate and their surroundings, but there were no further clues to be found. Finally they had to concede that he was probably right.

“If you and the young Robin swapped places, is he safe wherever he is now?”

Jason shot his father an incredulous look, gesturing down at his clothes. “I was in bed at home, of course he’s safe.”

Bruce didn’t seem appeased. “Robin is fourteen, in the wrong time and not exactly dressed inconspicuous. Are you absolutely sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Jason answered firmly. Although… “He might freak out a bit,” Jason mused, grimacing slightly, “I wasn’t alone in bed, so…”

“Little Wing!” Dick exclaimed, a mix between scandalized and proud.

Jason scoffed. “I know what you got up to…will get up to, so keep quiet.”

Dick’s expression looked like he couldn’t decide between being interested or embarrassed by Jason’s implications about his future, but Bruce’s voice pre-empted any questions he might have asked.

“You’re married,” he observed quietly, eyes on the wedding band on Jason’s finger.

Dick’s head snapped down to look at Jason’s hand in obvious astonishment, but Jason met his father’s gaze and just nodded with a smile.

“Yeah, for a while now.”

“Does she-“

“He,” Jason interrupted and the slightly surprised expressions on both of their faces made him cock an eyebrow. Seriously, as if Bruce and Dick were exactly straight.

Dick saw his expression and immediately started to explain. “Gay marriage isn’t legal yet, so I’m guessing it will be?”

Right, to Jason it seemed far away now, but in reality it hadn’t been that long since same-sex marriage had been legalized. He nodded at his brother with a slight smile, feeling himself relax again.

“Does he,” Bruce picked up his original question, “know about you being Robin? Otherwise younger you turning up might be a problem.”

Jason had to laugh at that. “You really think I married someone who doesn’t know about the vigilantism? Please, that would never work. He knew me at that age, so Robin shouldn’t be too freaked out, too.”

“You married someone you already knew at fourteen? That is so sweet,” Dick gushed.

“Do we know him?” Bruce asked, which seemed innocent enough, but fuck, should Jason answer that?

Roy was a few years older than him, legally already an adult in this time and Dick’s best friend. His father and brother might get the wrong idea if he told them who he had married. It’s not like anything had happened between them until Jason had been an adult too, so there had never been any problems with his family before, but now…better not to test it.

“I’m not sure I should tell you,” he said hesitantly, quickly continuing when Dick opened his mouth to argue, “there are rules for time travel, I shouldn’t talk about that stuff too much. And also we should probably not discuss this here.”

Both Bruce and Dick had to concede his point, so they made their way to the Batmobile to head back to the Manor.

As he sat in the backseat, looking out at the familiar streets, spotting buildings and shops that were gone in his time, he could only hope that his younger self would accept whatever had happened as easily as Bruce and Dick and wouldn’t do anything stupid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed a bit of a lighter story while writing the angstfest that is "Give It Up" and so this little fic was born.  
> Hope you have fun reading it =)
> 
> If you'd like to chat, here is a link to [my Tumblr](https://sun-moon-stars-jedi.tumblr.com/).


	2. Chapter 2

A startled yelp pulled Roy from sleep, the noise very sudden and also very close to him. In his line of work it was a matter of survival to be able to wake up fast and assess one's surroundings quickly, so his mind was already cataloguing whatever he could glean about the situation before his eyes were even open.

He was still lying in bed - judging by the familiar smell of lavender and gun oil his and Jason’s bed - and there was someone in bed with him. That wasn’t really surprising, but something felt wrong about the presence next to him; it felt more like Lian’s slight figure than Jason’s hulking form.

Once his eyes opened they stared directly into a face wearing a domino mask. While that wasn’t an unusual occurrence in the Harper-Todd household, the face was eerily familiar but strangely young and gawking at him in a mix of shock and confusion.

Before Roy could do anything the face and the body attached to it scrambled back. Now that the person wasn’t so close he could see that it was a teenage boy. He had brought as much distance as possible between them without falling to the floor and was now sitting at the far end of the bed, his entire attention completely focused on Roy, obviously unwilling to leave him out of his sight.

Roy sat up slowly, taking in the rest of the teenager on his bed. He was wearing Jason’s Robin uniform and while Roy had to admit he had fantasized about Jason wearing those sinfully short pants once again in their bedroom, his husband was usually an adult in those fantasies, not…

Roy’s eyes snapped up to the boy’s face, checking to see if he was right. He let out a long groan, feeling the urge to bury his face into his hands.

The noise Roy made seemed to snap baby Jason out of whatever shock he had fallen into, his whole body going tense, hands coming up in a defensive position.

“Who are you?” he growled, trying to be menacing, but all Roy could think was how adorable he was, his voice still a few registers higher than his adult timbre.

“Why am I in your bed, you freak?”

Roy could hear the undercurrent of fear in Jason’s young voice and held up his hands slowly in a placating gesture, trying to exude a calm and non-threatening aura with his whole body. Jason might be Robin, but he was still a teenager suddenly in bed with an adult man. He didn’t want to scare him any more than he undoubtedly already was.

“Hey Jason, everything is okay, I promise.”

His words were obviously the wrong ones as Jason immediately scrambled from the bed, further away from him, now truly in a defensive crouch with a fierce scowl on his face.

“How do you know my name?” he asked and now he sounded a lot more dangerous than before. The importance of secret identities was one of the first lessons every vigilante learned and Bruce had always been especially serious about that point.

Roy should have seen this reaction coming, honestly.

He stayed completely still, not wanting to give Jason another reason to freak out, like an adult man several feet taller and also a lot heavier than him advancing on the teenager.

Instead, Roy gave him his most charming smile. “What, you don’t recognize me? I know I hang out more with Dick than you, but you still know me, Boy Wonder.”

He deliberately didn’t tell Jason his name. He was a Bat after all, working it out himself would convince him way more than simply telling him.

Jason was obviously trying to connect the dots now, the familiar crease between his brows that Roy would swear had just gotten cuter with age appearing as Jason looked closer at Roy’s face, his red hair and finally his arms, the one dead giveaway of his profession.

Roy could tell the precise moment it clicked in Jason’s mind, his posture losing its hostility, face smoothing over into surprise.

“Roy?” he asked, voice a little unsure and Roy grinned at him in answer.

“Got it in one, Jay. B-Man would be proud.”

Jason’s chest puffed out in pride at the praise and Roy couldn’t help his fond smile at that. This young version of Jason hadn’t built up a lot of the walls his older counterpart would eventually have.

“Where are we?” Jason asked curiously, starting to look around the room.

Roy considered it a good sign that he even took his eyes off him, apparently deeming Roy safe enough and not a threat.

“In my bedroom, obviously,” he answered, quirking an amused brow at the exasperated huff his sarcasm got him.

“Duh,” Jason shot back, “but since when do you live in Gotham?”

The teenager was pointing at the windows half hidden behind curtains and Roy felt his smile widen at how quickly Jason had taken in his surroundings and was already starting to put the pieces together. People might think Jason was only muscle at first glance (at least his adult version), but Roy knew there was quite the agile mind attached to it.

“Oh, you know, just for a little while,” Roy said and he could see Jason’s frustrated scowl at his non-committal answer even behind the mask.

With a wide grin Roy pulled the covers back (making damn sure he was wearing pants underneath them first) and got out of bed.

“How about we get some breakfast and I call Bruce so we can figure out what happened?”

When Jason didn’t answer Roy thought he simply wasn’t pleased with his unwillingness to explain further, but once he turned fully back to him he could see that Jason was simply staring at Roy’s naked chest and tattoos, a slight blush starting to creep across his cheeks.

“Jaybird?”

The nickname was so instinctual he hadn’t even thought about it, but Jason’s blush only intensified after he said it before he ducked his head, clearly avoiding Roy’s eyes as he mumbled “Yeah, sounds good”.

Holy shit, did teenage Jason have a crush on him? The way Jason was shuffling around slightly and biting his lip was exactly how his adult version acted when he was embarrassed. Roy was so going to tease his husband about this once he got him back.

But he wasn’t cruel and he still remembered what the hormonal horror of being a teenager had been like, so he grabbed a shirt from the floor and put it on. The little wrinkle of Jason’s nose was exactly the same reaction his husband always had to Roy’s slightly messier habits and Roy had to bite his tongue to keep from cooing at how adorable the little Robin in front of him was.

He might be smaller, but Jason would still kick him in the balls for something like that, guaranteed.

“Come on, Boy Wonder,” Roy called as he walked out of the bedroom.

Jason followed him at a careful distance, still a little cautious, but that was only to be expected. Roy simply made his way over into the kitchen, keeping an eye on the boy and making sure he didn’t stumble upon anything that would give away too much about his current situation. 

He planned on telling Jason what was going on of course, but having Bruce present would make everything way easier in case Jason reacted badly. This teenage version of him might know Roy, but to him he was only his older brother’s friend, and they had never spent any meaningful time together at those ages. He honestly couldn’t say how much Jason would trust him right now (even if he seemed to have a crush on him). And Jason reacting badly could go horribly wrong, so getting his father involved beforehand was the tactically sensible decision, as Bruce would put it.

On the way along the hallway to the kitchen there was nothing that would make it apparent to Jason that he was in a different time now, as most of their family photos were thankfully displayed in the living room. Still, Roy saw him send a curious look at Lian’s closed bedroom door, which was covered in stickers and very obviously a child’s room.

„How about some poptarts?“ Roy asked casually, opening one of the cabinets and rummaging around to find some. Just as he had intended, Jason’s attention was immediately drawn away from the brightly decorated door and he quickly marched the rest of the way to the kitchen.

“That’s not breakfast! Those things are barely even food,” Jason said with the exact same disgusted tone his older version always used whenever Roy tried to produce something edible. Roy barely managed to keep from laughing out loud and when he turned back to look at the teenager he was standing in the doorway with his hands on his hips, looking like the most exasperated parent in the world.

“You’re just as useless as Bruce and Dick in the kitchen,” Jason huffed before he stomped over to the fridge and started going through the contents to find something he deemed worthy of being food, apparently. He should be quite pleased with what he found; it was him who did the shopping around here after all.

Roy just watched him for a moment, marvelling at how little Jason had really changed in some ways since he had been a kid, before he remembered that he still needed to call his husband’s father in case this went bad and he needed backup. The kid should be busy with his exploration of the kitchen for a few minutes, so he quietly slipped out of the kitchen and into the living room.

He got his phone out, dialling Bruce’s number and he answered before it could even ring twice.

“What happened?”

Bruce’s voice sounded worried and exasperated at the same time and Roy couldn’t help his eye-roll.

“Well, hello to you too, Bruce,” he answered in a deliberately chipper voice.

“Roy, what is going on?”

“What, I can’t just call my favourite father-in-law for a chat?”

He could hear Bruce sigh but when he answered again it was in a much more relaxed tone.

“I’m your only father-in-law, I hope. And you don’t usually just call me to chat, especially not at 7 in the morning.”

Roy looked at the clock and true, it was still pretty early, particularly for people who usually spent their nights fighting crime in costumes.

“Maybe I want to try something new,” he mused, a grin spreading across his face as he heard Bruce sigh even deeper. He could just see him pinch the bridge of his nose while he squeezed his eyes shut. Roy had always been very good at annoying Bruce and he might even be a little proud of that.

“Roy,” Bruce said, and wow, now he was using his disappointed dad voice on him. And it might be working on Roy, just a little bit - not that he would ever tell anyone (especially not Jason, he would never hear the end of it).

“Well, this morning in bed-“ he started, already hearing Bruce groan when a loud thump came from the kitchen.

Roy rushed out of the living room and came to a stop in the kitchen doorway, not sure if he should laugh or cry at what he saw in front of him.

Jason was lying on the floor, legs tangled in his cape and arms held up in a pacifying gesture as he looked up at the little girl standing above him with an absolutely flummoxed expression on his face. Lian meanwhile was towering over Jason, pointing a drawn arrow at him while still in her unicorn pyjamas and fluffy bunny slippers. Her hair was tangled from sleep, so she must have come straight from bed and apprehended Jason before he had any idea she was even there and Roy was just so proud of his little girl in that moment.

“What’s going on, sweetheart?” Roy asked, still standing in the doorway.

“There’s a fake Robin in our kitchen, but don’t worry, I took him down. It wasn’t even difficult,” Lian replied easily, eyes never leaving her captive.

“Hey,” Jason exclaimed, indignant and well on his way to a pout. “I just don’t fight little kids. And I’m not a fake Robin, are you blind?”

“Have you looked in a mirror?” Lian asked mockingly and Roy could already tell this was going to escalate into a full blown argument from the way Jason’s brows came together into a fierce scowl, so he decided to intervene before it was too late.

“Lian, he’s not an intruder, I knew he was here. So please let him up and put the bow away. Robin, Lian didn’t mean anything, you just surprised her. Are we good?”

They both looked at each other for a few seconds, seizing the other up, before Lian put her bow down and stepped back and Jason slowly got up from the floor. At his raised eyebrow they both mumbled “We’re good” and Roy gave them a satisfied nod.

“Okay, why don’t you two get on with making breakfast while I finish this call. I’ll be back in a minute.”

They both seemed a bit hesitant, but Jason turned back around to the bowl in which he had started to prepare pancake batter and at a sharp nod from Roy towards him Lian also joined to help. Though she did give Roy a pointed glare that said ‘You will explain this’ (she had definitely learned that one from Jason) before she did as he asked.

When they were standing next to each other at the kitchen counter Roy couldn’t help but notice how tiny Jason was. He was only about a head taller than Lian, and although she was tall for an eight-year-old (something she definitely got from Roy’s side even though otherwise she looked like a smaller copy of Jade), Jason still shouldn’t be this close to her in height, considering he was already a teenager.

It was hard to believe this tiny boy wearing a cape and short pants would one day become the behemoth that was his husband.

Once Roy was satisfied that they wouldn’t attack each other as soon as his back was turned he stepped back into the living room. After closing the door behind him he brought his phone which had been in his hand the whole time back to his ear. There was silence for a long moment before Bruce spoke, sounding dazed and surprised in a way Roy had only heard very few times from the usually unshakable man.

“Was that…that sounded like…”

“Yeah,” Roy sighed, sitting down heavily on the couch. “Jason is a teenager again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the amazing response to this little fic. I'm so happy you enjoyed the first chapter, hope you like the second one just as much.  
> All your lovely comments and kudos are of course appreciated, seeing them always makes my day =D


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing Jason noticed back in the Cave was how much less stuff there was cluttering the place. It wasn’t as if the Bats were messy in his time – Alfred would never allow that in a domain under his supervision - but there was just so much every new family member added to the space over the years, all those little things that had transformed the dark, cold cavern into more of a family space.

There was no overly complicated coffee maker standing next to the computer array, a feature Tim swore up and down was highly necessary and protected from being removed like it was his own child. There were no katanas lovingly arranged next to the training area and no big dog bed right beside them, where Damian would bring Titus so he wouldn’t be all alone upstairs when everyone was in the Cave. There was no ballet bar or the pile of stolen hoodies Cass hoarded like a treasure, each one originally belonging to another member of the family but now unmistakably hers. And that didn’t even take into account all the things members of their extended family stored in the Cave, like Steph’s collection of purple knickknacks she found on patrol or Roy’s nook of half-finished inventions.

All in all, the space felt strangely empty with only Bruce, Dick and Jason occupying it.

Although, there was of course the one constant that had always made the Cave and Manor feel like home to Jason, even during his darkest times. Alfred was waiting for them as they exited the Batmobile, standing close to the computer with the promised cookies waiting on the table next to him.

As Jason made his way over to the butler he could see the old man raise an eyebrow in a mix of curiosity and confusion at Bruce, who was walking between his sons.

“I do wish you had informed me before bringing home a guest,” Alfred said and Jason couldn’t help a small snort from escaping at the dry, scolding tone.

That reaction got him his own pointed look and he automatically ducked his head in contrition.

“Sorry, Alfie,” Jason mumbled.

He didn’t miss the momentarily startled expression on the old man’s face before it turned calculating. Alfred was now looking closer at him, obviously trying to figure out how he knew him and who he was.

“Alfred,” Bruce said, giving his father-figure an apologetic smile as he took off the cowl, “I’m sorry I didn’t call ahead, I was a bit distracted. And he’s not really a guest.”

Alfred didn’t miss the significance of Bruce taking off the cowl in front of someone he didn’t know and Jason could see how he mentally recategorized him from ‘potential ally’ to ‘trusted ally’.

“Oh?” Alfred simply asked, clearly expecting a better explanation.

“It’s Jason,” Dick declared with a wide grin, practically bouncing in excitement next to them.

“Jason?” Alfred asked, looking at him in momentary shock before his usual composure returned. “Is that the reason young Master Jason did not return with you from patrol? Some kind of time travel occurrence?”

Jason nodded. It would always be impressive to him how fast the old butler could adapt to new and oftentimes bizarre circumstances, providing them with a much needed point of calmness in their chaotic lives.

“I think so, yeah,” Jason answered.

Alfred nodded and his eyes softened as he finally took Jason in fully.

“You did grow up well, my boy.”

“Thanks to your food, Alfie,” Jason said lightly.

He knew it must be a big surprise to them how much he had grown – would still grow from their perspective – but no one could have really expected it, as it was most likely only possible due to the effects of the Lazarus Pit. Not that he wanted to explain that to his family.

The thought had of course been on his mind since he realised _when_ he was. Should he tell them what would happen in a little more than a year? Prevent his own death?

It was tempting but there would be consequences. He couldn’t just change so much without thoroughly thinking it through beforehand, so for now he would hold his tongue.

The butler gave him a kind smile and gestured over to the cookies. “Then I believe you would certainly like some of these?”

Jason’s face lit up and he happily took one. Dick was already on his second cookie before Jason could even take one bite.

“Guess what, Alfie,” Dick said, mouth full of half-chewed cookie, which earned him disgusted looks from everyone. He skilfully ignored them, going on without waiting for an answer.

“Little Wing is married!”

Alfred would never react with anything less than dignity, but Jason could still clearly read the surprise in his slightly widened eyes which quickly morphed into grandfatherly fondness and joy.

“I’m very glad you found someone to share your life with, Master Jason. You always deserved so much more love than fate seemed willing to give you.”

Jason had to blink rapidly for a few seconds, eyes cast down to the floor.

“Yeah, I never doubted that he loves me for a second,” Jason said before his eyes met Alfred’s again, “but I also know my family does.”

Alfred gave him a soft smile and then his hand came to rest on Jason’s shoulder, squeezing warmly.

“Always, my dear boy.”

There was silence for a long moment and Jason felt the inexplicable need to lighten the mood. Too many emotionally deep conversations were still not his forte, no matter how good his relationship with his family had gotten.

“I wasn’t so sure you were happy with me when half your garden was wrecked at the wedding reception, though,” Jason joked, earning an eyebrow raised in curiosity so he elaborated. “Most of the Justice League and their families attended and as it turns out, spiked drinks and pre-teens with heat vision are not a good combination.”

Dick only grinned through his cookies and Bruce tried to hide his smile at the mix of horror and amusement on Alfred’s face.

“At least now I’m prepared, I suppose,” Alfred said with a sigh and Jason had to hold back a cringe at the future havoc his siblings and their friends would wreak on the Manor. He didn’t think he could ever truly prepare him for everything half-kryptonians, speedsters, farm animals and various Bats could destroy in a few hours (that had been a one hell of an afternoon and none of them wanted to incur Alfred’s wrath like that ever again).

“Though I am very pleased to know another wedding will eventually take place at Wayne Manor. It has been quite long.”

Jason didn’t miss how Bruce deliberately looked somewhere else to avoid Alfred’s gaze, just like he would in the future when the topic was brought up.

With a snort Jason took another cookie, aware that he had to be fast or Dick would finish them all. Some things never changed Jason thought, although in his time there were a lot more people to compete with, so he had gotten pretty good at eating them fast too.

Alfred meanwhile was now looking Jason over with an assessing eye.

“You must be freezing in those pyjamas, Master Jason. I will get you some of your father’s clothes, they should fit you. And some warm socks. Heaven knows how they let you walk around outside like this,” Alfred said, throwing a sharp look at Bruce who ducked his head as the butler marched past him.

Once Jason had put on a warm pair of sweats and a hoodie (and the fluffy socks Alfred had gotten him, which were a blessing; he hadn’t even noticed how cold his feet had been) and Bruce and Dick had also changed out of their uniforms they all made their way up into the Manor.

They had barely stepped out of Bruce’s office heading for the kitchen when the sound of paws running down the corridor became audible. For a moment Jason expected Titus to come around the corner but instead of the Great Dane a German Shephard bounded towards them.

Jason was on his knees before he even thought about it, holding his arms open as the dog barrelled into him, immediately trying to lick his face as Jason got his hands into the thick fur, petting along his back and scratching behind the ears, just like he remembered him liking it best.

“Ace,” Jason said, and he was laughing even though his voice sounded wet, “I’ve missed you, my boy.”

Jason was aware of Bruce, Dick and Alfred standing behind him, looking down at him and his dog tumbling around on the floor, and in that moment he truly felt like a kid again. He had the thought that maybe he should be embarrassed but he was just so happy to get to see Ace again; it had been so damn long.

“He still recognizes you,” Bruce said, a fond smile on his face.

“Of course,” Jason laughed, “Ace is one smart dog, aren’t you?”

Ace rolled onto his back, tongue lolling happily out of his mouth, and Jason obligingly scratched his belly.

When they finally made their way into the kitchen Ace was trotting loyally at Jason’s side and Jason couldn’t take his eyes away from his dog. The last time he had seen him had been the day he left for Ethiopia. He didn’t even know when Ace had died, he’d never had the heart to ask once he came back.

He was so happy he didn’t really think about what came out of his mouth when Dick asked him a question.

“So, do you have a dog in the future, Jay? You were always good with Ace.”

“Not yet, but Lian is always asking for one, so we thought maybe for her birthday we will get one.”

“Who’s Lian?”

Jason froze for a moment, finally registering what he had said. Crap, could he tell them about Lian?

Looking up, he saw three pairs of eyes focused on him in interest. 

They could work it out from what he had said, he was sure. And telling them wouldn’t change anything…

“Lian is my daughter,” Jason said, and he knew his voice held that mix of softness and pride it always took on when he was talking about her.

There was a moment of stunned silence and then Bruce let out a faint “Oh”, sitting heavily down in a chair. Jason eyed him carefully, but he could only read surprise, no disapproval or any other negative reaction. It seemed even Batman couldn’t handle meeting his adult son and hearing about his life with nothing but calm.

“Don’t worry, you make a really good Grandpa,” Jason said reassuringly, but there was a teasing grin on his face.

Bruce only looked up at him with wide eyes and Jason could practically see it klick in his mind that he would become a grandfather in a few years. 

“I’ll never forget the day you found your first grey hair, it was hilarious.”

Dick let out a snort next to Jason and even Alfred was looking highly amused at his quasi-son’s reaction as Bruce gaped like a fish at him. Shocking Bruce wasn’t an easy feat and they all enjoyed it greatly when they managed it, Jason knew.

“God, Jay, it sounds like you’re living the picket fence life in the future. I bet you also went to some Ivy League college after school, you nerd.”

Jason felt his smile dim a little at Dick’s teasing. It was good-natured, he knew, and from Dick’s perspective exactly what Jason’s life should have been like. Not like anyone had planned for him to die and spend his late teens learning how to kill people while the Lazarus Pit poisoned his mind instead of going to school and getting the degree he had always dreamed of.

“Well, I’m in the PTA and we have a minivan, so…”

Dick laughed and even Bruce seemed to come out of his shocked daze, looking at him with fondness and pride.

“Good to know at least one member of this family knows how to live a normal life,” Alfred said with a small twitch of his moustache, and Jason couldn’t help the bark of laughter that broke out of him at that.

“Alfie, I don’t want to disappoint you, but I still run around Gotham in a costume at night, sorry. It’s really hard to quit that.”

Alfred just sighed, sending Bruce a pointed look.

“I suppose I can’t expect anything other from you than following your father’s example. At least I’m assuming you’re not working alone if you are still based in Gotham?”

Jason wanted to snort at that, but he held himself back. Working alone as a vigilante in Gotham was damn near impossible with the number of Bats and their allies running around the city in his time. Honestly, it was actually a testament of their stupidity that any serious criminal even tried to work in Gotham anymore.

“No, I have backup. Not like he ever stops keeping an eye on us,” Jason said, nodding his head at Bruce.

Dick shot him a commiserating look and with a start Jason realised that this was his brother just shortly after his rebellious phase, still working on finding himself as an independent hero, and not the man who had worn the cowl himself and was constantly worrying about an army of younger siblings.

Bruce seemed pleased with the confirmation that he was still looking over his children in the future and as much as Jason wanted to snark at him about that, since he had Lian he understood that instinct a lot better.

Instead he steered the conversation towards their time, asking when exactly it was and what was going on in Gotham at the moment, particularly anything pertaining to magic or time travel.

As he had guessed, he had landed about a year before his death and neither Bruce nor Dick had been investigating any magic users as of late. Their mission to the warehouse where he and his younger version had been swapped had been about a drug smuggling ring and Dick had only been there because he had visited Gotham for the weekend anyway.

Which meant they didn’t really have anything to go on for now.

“I suggest you continue this discussion in the morning,” Alfred said when Jason and Dick were nearly constantly holding back yawns and even Bruce looked like he might nod off in his chair any moment.

There was surprisingly little protest but as Jason had reassured them, his younger version was safe in the future, so there was nothing pressing for them to worry about. Sure, Jason wanted to return home, but a little stay in the past wasn’t so bad, especially in this time.

They all made their way upstairs and without thought Jason went to his childhood bedroom, only realising what he had done when he stopped in the doorway. Jason stood frozen, looking at the walls covered in posters of bands he had loved as a teenager, the piles of books that had long since been moved into his and Roy’s apartment, his handmade red quilt Alfred had gifted him for his first Christmas at the Manor.

Stepping inside he picked up the pyjamas neatly folded at the foot of the bed, feeling a weird pang of nostalgia mixed with sadness, when a bemused voice came from behind him.

“I don’t think those still fit, Little Wing.”

“Well, at least I did grow up,” Jason shot back, grinning at the look of mock betrayal on Dick’s face.

“Rude. I see you’ve left your manners in the future.”

“Nah, it’s just so damn easy to push your buttons. And I’ve been told that’s my job as a little brother.”

Dick rolled his eyes but gave him a quick hug and then wished him goodnight, leaving to go to his own room.

Minutes later Jason was in bed, the warm weight of Ace lying next to him a familiar sensation even after all these years. He was just about to turn off the bedside lamp when a soft knock sounded at the door and at his “Come in” Bruce opened it.

“Hey B,” Jason said, looking at him expectantly.

Bruce nodded at him and then he just stood awkwardly in the doorway, not coming in but also not saying anything.

“Was there something else…?” Jason asked, tone confused.

“I just-“ Bruce started, looking anywhere but at Jason suddenly. “I just came over like every night to tuck you…tuck little Jason in, but then I realized…”

Bruce had still tucked him in at fourteen. How had Jason forgotten that?

It had been something no one had ever really done for him before he came to the Manor and even though he had known at fourteen that he was too old for that, he had never told Bruce to stop. It had made him feel cared for and so, so loved.

“Oh,” was all Jason got out, not really sure what he should say to that.

“It’s fine,” Bruce said, already taking a step back and pulling the door closed, “I didn’t think-“

“Wait,” Jason called with an urgency that surprised even himself. 

Bruce froze, the door half-way closed, looking back up at him hesitantly.

“You can still do that if you like. I mean, I wouldn’t mind, if you still wanted to do that, but if not, you know-“

Jason knew he was rambling but he couldn’t seem to stop. A smile was starting to appear on Bruce’s face, soft and slightly shy, but definitely happy.

“Okay, Jaylad. I’d like that very much.”

With that Bruce came over and sat down next to Jason. After hesitating for the briefest moment he stroked Jason's fringe affectionately back and then placed a kiss on his forehead.

“Good night, Jay,” Bruce said gently and Jason said it back in a daze, watching as Bruce got back up and left the room, closing the door behind him after one last look at Jason.

He hadn’t even been aware of it until now, but this was the exact same way he tucked Lian in every night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of an interim chapter and still it got (and took) so much longer than I thought.
> 
> Thank you all for the amazing response to this fic, for all the comments, kudos and subscriptions =D


	4. Chapter 4

Roy had never in his life been so glad to hear the doorbell ring before.

Breakfast with two very inquisitive and also very suspicious kids turned out to be not a lot of fun - who would have thought. Lian kept shooting him pointed looks, obviously demanding an explanation from him, even though Roy was sure she already had a pretty good idea of what was going on or she would have asked where Jason (her Jason) was.

Robin Jason meanwhile had been carefully studying them the whole time. He had taken off his domino after some prodding from Roy and Roy could tell from his pinched eyebrows and calculating expression that he knew something wasn’t right, too.

Roy’s attempts to distract them with small-talk and more food had been laughable and kind of pathetic really, but he had managed to keep them from the big topic long enough for Bruce to arrive, so he counted that as a success.

He was at the door and throwing it open before Bruce even had time to pull his hand back from the buzzer, ushering him inside with a sighed “Thank God you’re here.”

The amused look Bruce had thrown his way turned into one of awe and wonder when he came face to face with Jason, who had apparently followed Roy into the hallway, Lian peeking out from behind him.

For a few seconds Bruce simply stared at his son, seemingly frozen, while those clever blue eyes were taking in the new-arrival, jumping from Bruce’s hair to his clothes and finally coming to a stop on his face.

“Hey B,” Jason said slowly, but the expression on his face wasn’t one Roy had ever seen before, a mix of happiness and vindication.

“Hey Jaylad,” Bruce answered, sounding like he merely did that out of reflex, his eyes still focused only on his son.

“So,” the little Robin piped up, a grin spreading across his face, “time travel, huh?”

There was a moment of stunned silence before Bruce finally seemed to come back to himself and got out an unusually high “What?”

The grin on Jason’s face just got bigger, his eyes sparkling as he looked up at his father while bouncing slightly on his toes. Roy had the distinct impression that Jason was very pleased with himself and despite his own surprise at the quick way he had figured this out he felt a fond smile start to form on his lips. Jason had always been so much more perceptive than a lot of people gave him credit for which he proved now as he started to explain.

“See, I knew something was up from the start. Could have been just teleportation, because I was in a warehouse and then in a bedroom, but then there was Roy and I know what he looks like and yeah, that is Roy, but he looks different. And then there is Lian, who is obviously his daughter, even though they tried to hide that from me, but no way does Roy have a secret daughter, especially one that is already like 8 or 9, so there is something wrong with the time, obviously. And then there is you!”

Jason ended his breathless tirade with a wide step towards Bruce, both hands pointing at his father like a showman presenting his biggest attraction.

It took them all a second to register that he had stopped and was waiting for participation from them. Lian had a reluctantly impressed look on her face and Roy had to bring up his hand to cover his mouth and stop himself from bursting into laughter at the adorable theatrics he was being witness to. Jason and his penchant for a dramatic reveal were always a delight for him.

“What about me, Jay?” Bruce asked, voice soft and so very fond as he was looking down at his little Robin, entirely focused on him as if he was the centre of his world.

Jason took a deep breath before he dramatically burst out, “You’re old.”

Roy couldn’t hold back his laughter any longer, deep guffaws escaping him until he had tears in his eyes. Lian was also giggling, the way she always did when Jason put on a show like this.

Bruce meanwhile was opening and closing his mouth without any sound coming out before he finally got out an indignant, “I’m not old!”

Man, Roy should have recorded this. His Jay would love to see it once he was back and this would also be perfect to show at the next Wayne Thanksgiving dinner. It would definitely be a worthy contender against the ‘Best fails on patrol’ compilations Tim always put together for the holiday.

“Yeah you are, old man,” Jason said, closing the distance between him and Bruce. Standing in front of him he pointed at his hair, “look at all the grey streaks you’ve got, there’s barely any black left. Nearly didn’t recognize you.”

“It makes me look dignified,” Bruce said with a petulant undertone that made Roy wonder if only his husband had been regressed into a child.

“That’s what Alfie tells you to make you feel better, I bet,” Jason grinned and Bruce reached out to ruffle his hair with a muttered, “Smartass.”

They fell silent and Roy suddenly felt weirdly like an intruder as he looked at his father-in-law smile softly down at this miniature version of his husband.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Jason asked and now he sounded so much younger, like the fourteen-year-old he was for the first time. “This is the future?”

“It is,” Bruce confirmed and then knelt down to be on eye-level with his son, cupping his cheek softly. “But I will do everything I can to get you back home to your time, Jay. You’re my son, I will look after you no matter what time you’re from or what age you are.”

Roy could hear the old sorrow in Bruce’s words and he knew this reassurance was as much for Bruce as it was for Jason. The Wayne patriarch still held so many regrets about the time he couldn’t be there for Jason after his death and Roy was sure seeing him this young and in his Robin uniform again was only intensifying that.

“I know that, B,” Jason said, trying to sound flippant, but Roy could hear the undercurrent of happiness and honesty in his words. “You’re my dad, why would you ever not be there for me?”

Bruce only looked at Jason for a long moment before he pulled him into a tight hug, startling a little gasp out of the teenager before he hugged back.

“I always will, you’re right,” Bruce said quietly, his voice so very sincere, and Roy wasn’t sure he or even Jason were meant to hear those words.

It took some time before Bruce let the kid go again and in the meantime Roy had wandered over to Lian, wanting to give the two of them privacy. He could tell his daughter was shooting curious glances over at them, so he ushered her into the living room and closed the door to keep her from spying.

“I also figured it out,” Lian said, chest puffed out in pride, “and before he did, too.”

Roy had to hold back a snort. His daughter and mini-husband getting competitive once they were both children (well, not-adults, Jason wasn’t really a child) wouldn’t have been his prediction, but it was definitely entertaining.

“Course you did, sweetie,” Roy said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head, “You’re the smartest one in this family, after all.”

“Daaad, you’re suffocating me” Lian whined, but she was actually snuggling closer, so Roy just held on. 

The image of Bruce desperately hugging little Jason like he was something unbelievably precious was still on Roy’s mind. He couldn’t even imagine what it would be like to see his little girl as a child again once she was all grown up. Even now the thought of having toddler Lian back in his arms was tied to such a complicated slew of emotions. He loved every second he spent with his daughter and he loved her at every age, from the smiling baby to the headstrong toddler and the breathtakingly intelligent and creative little girl he held now in his arms. But each age had been special and getting even a minute again with one of those past versions…it would be a moment filled with so much joy, but also a melancholy and sadness for the time that had passed and would never come back again.

He was sure Bruce was feeling the same and that was not even taking into account the complicated history between him and Jason. No matter how well Jason’s life had turned out, Bruce would never truly overcome his guilt for failing his son; he was still blaming himself for letting him get killed and coming back under such horrific circumstances without him knowing. And even though Jason and Bruce had a very good relationship now, their past would forever be a part of that.

With this little Jason Bruce got the chance to see his son unburdened by all of those horrible memories, have the son back who was still absolutely convinced that Bruce could accomplish anything, keep him safe no matter what happened. He had the little boy back who believed that Robin gave him magic and Roy couldn’t even imagine how that must make him feel.

“They’re taking really long out there,” Lian said once she had pulled back from him and was staring at the door, her hands on her hips, foot tapping impatiently on the floor.

“It’s a lot to take in, for both of them,” Roy said.

Lian scrunched her nose but didn’t say anything else for a while, her forehead wrinkled in thought.

“Granpa B seemed really happy to see this Jason,” she finally mused out loud, “but also kind of sad. Do you think our Jayjay has found the Bruce in the past? And is that one happy to see him?”

Roy hadn’t even thought about that yet. He had been so preoccupied with looking after the little Jason and keeping him from finding out (great job, Harper), the situation his husband might be in hadn’t even been on his mind. But Jason knew how to look after himself and if he appeared where this Robin disappeared, Batman wouldn’t be far. Jay wasn’t decked out in his body armor and carrying guns, so he shouldn’t be seen as a threat. And once he could explain Roy was sure past Bruce would take him in. Not like Bruce could ever resist picking up a stray (especially one who already belonged to him).

“I’m sure he is very happy to see him,” Roy reassured his daughter and hoped he wasn’t lying.

He luckily didn’t have to face any more questions as the door finally opened and Bruce and Jason came in. Bruce still had his hand on Jason’s shoulder and Roy could already tell that it would be a while before he would leave his teenage son out of his sight again.

“Jason told me he touched some kind of staff before he appeared here,” Bruce began, his voice all business now, “do you know if it travelled with him?”

Roy hadn’t even looked, so he shook his head. “Should be in the bedroom if it did, I can go check.”

He had taken the first step towards the door when Jason’s voice piped up.

“Why did I even travel to your bedroom? That seems kind of weird, doesn’t it, B?”

Roy shot Bruce a panicked look and saw him grimace for a split second before he smoothed his expression back out.

“Did you wear gloves when you touched it, Jay?” he asked and the crinkle in Jason’s forehead proved he knew Bruce had deliberately ignored his question, but he still answered.

“Yeah, I did.”

“Okay, then we will have to be very careful,” Bruce said, turning around and walking to the bedroom.

Jason was sending him and Roy suspicious looks the whole way there, and Roy knew they couldn’t keep his future self’s relationship to him and Lian a secret for long – Jason had already proven today that he was too good of a detective for that – but telling a fourteen-year-old that you were married to him just seemed very wrong to Roy.

He’d let Bruce handle that, he was Jason’s parent after all.

When they were all in the bedroom they stopped in front of the bed, taking in the hastily pulled back blanket on Roy’s side that was still in disarray. Jason walked to the other side, pointing at the relatively untouched part of the bed.

“I landed here,” he said, studying the blankets carefully.

Bruce had stepped beside him, also looking at the bed, while Roy carefully looked at the floor around them. None of them found anything, so Bruce dropped down to his knees and started to look under the bed.

For a short moment Roy thought his heart had stopped until he remembered that certain _things_ weren’t stored under their bed anymore since Lian had been way too close to finding them during her last search for her Christmas presents. He didn’t know if he could ever have looked Bruce in the eyes again if he had found them right now. Not that he was ashamed of what he and Jason did in their bedroom, but…Bruce was his father-in-law and that would have just been very awkward.

“There it is,” Bruce said and Jason and Lian immediately dropped down to see too.

“Doesn’t look that special,” Lian said and when Roy bent down to look he had to agree.

Between the dust bunnies lay an innocuous dark green wooden staff. It was about 5 feet long, had some decorative carvings and a stone was set into the top, but overall it could have been an especially well made broom handle.

“The stone was glowing when I touched it back in the warehouse,” Jason said and everyone looked at him in incredulity for a moment.

“I know,” Jason huffed, “not my smartest idea, I admit.”

Roy let out a snort but turned back to look at the staff.

“Think we can touch it now?” he asked, getting only a grunt from Bruce.

The older man was already pulling something out of his pocket, a long, finely woven cloth that shimmered golden and had runes on it. He wrapped it around his hand and reached cautiously for the staff. Nothing happened when he touched it, so he pulled it out from under the bed.

“This cloth shields from magical items,” Bruce explained as they were all standing again. “Even if the staff appears dormant, we shouldn’t risk touching it without protection.”

“Because only an idiot touches magic items,” Lian said, receiving an indignant glare from Jason.

“I’m not an idiot. I’m Robin, after all.”

“Pfft, as if that means anything. Daddy says they’re all idiots.”

That got Roy an indignant and hurt look from Jason.

“Idiots in the lovable and very sweet way,” Roy said, trying to rescue this. Why did children always have to repeat stuff at the worst of times?

Jason let out a soft little “Oh” and then looked away from him, blushing again. God it was so easy to fluster this kid, it was adorable.

Bruce was looking from his beet-red son over to Roy and back again before letting out a long sigh. At his questioning eyebrow Roy shrugged and shook his head a little. Not like he had known about this little crush of Jason’s before today.

“Let’s bring this to the Cave,” Bruce finally said, starting for the door, the staff carefully held so it didn’t touch anything.

“You know what that means,” Lian said and Roy saw her and Jason share the first agreeable glance since they had met.

“Alfie’s cookies” they both exclaimed and followed Bruce out of the bedroom.

Yes, Roy thought, she really was Jason’s daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a bit longer than planned. My other story "Just Lucky I Guess" totally overtook my brain and I just couldn't stop writing on that.
> 
> Thank you so much for all the amazing comments, the kudos and subscriptions, they are very much appreciated =D


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This took so long, sorry guys.  
> First real life got in the way and then Whumptober (even though I didn't write as much as I wanted to).  
> Still, finally a new chapter, so I hope you enjoy it =D

Jason woke up slowly. He felt relaxed, the warm weight of something big and soft across his legs and the rustling of leaves and chirping birds audible from the window were so familiar, he knew deep in his bones that he was somewhere safe. It took his sleepy mind a few seconds to connect the dots and when he opened his eyes to see the long since changed furniture of his childhood bedroom he had to take a deep, steadying breath.

He really was back in the past with a much younger and less jaded Bruce and a Dick who hadn’t yet fully overcome his rebellious phase. At least Alfred was still the same grounding, comforting man he had always been Jason thought as he let his hand pet slowly over Ace’s head.

The dog looked up at him with sleepy eyes, yawning before he stretched further into Jason’s touch, tail thumping loudly against the bed in happiness.

Jason didn’t know how long he simply laid there, petting Ace, but it was long enough that his cheeks started to hurt from the smile he had on his face.

He missed his own time, of course, wanted to see his husband, his daughter, the rest of his family again, but in this moment he felt so content, he barely even thought about that. And not getting woken up by Roy’s snores for once was also kind of nice. He loved his husband dearly, but after a certain number of broken noses, you inevitably sounded like a very rusty hacksaw in sleep. That’s why every other vigilante should wear a helmet like Jason did, but alas, no one ever listened to him.

As peaceful as this morning was though, Jason found his mind turning to the more serious question he still had to address, ideally before he faced his family again. Namely, how much should or even could he tell them about the future?

Everyone in the superhero community was aware how detrimental changing the past could be, there were enough stories told by various speedsters or other unfortunate souls who had come into contact with some portal or magic item to make whoever heard them wary of changing too much in a time they did not belong in. Bruce had also always been very clear on that, drilling protocols into their heads which ultimately boiled down to _the past stays in the past_.

The only reason this Bruce wasn’t freaking out and practically taping Jason’s mouth shut to prevent him from doing something dumb was because he hadn’t yet collected enough experience with time travel (he certainly hadn’t been stuck in time, which had made his Bruce especially wary of the whole thing).

But that was exactly why Jason needed to think carefully about this, because _he_ knew how much damage he could do in this situation, even if Bruce, Dick and Alfred didn’t yet. Because yes, it was tempting to tell them about all the bad things that would happen, prevent his own death, Damian’s death, get his little brothers and sister earlier away from their horrible parents or the League, save so many innocent lives with all the knowledge he had, but…

But each change he made would have consequences.

Everything he changed now would mean the future he had come from would not exist – at least not in that exact same way. Who knew what his life would have been like if he hadn’t died. Would he still have fallen in love with Roy and Roy with him? Or would he have to sacrifice his family to save his own life?

There were so many things he couldn’t predict, it was too risky to simply change things and then blindly face the consequences.

The most important thing he would need to know was whether any changes he caused would directly influence his own future, or if this was some sort of parallel universe type of deal. Because if his own time stayed unchanged, he would really consider telling Bruce everything. If not…he wasn’t willing to give up the life he had fought so long and hard for, no matter how much suffering he could save himself and even others from. It might be selfish, but his family would always be his first priority.

To find out what kind of time travel he was dealing with though, he would need some help. As this whole situation was caused by some kind of magical artifact it might be a good idea to talk to someone like Zatanna or Constantine, but Jason wasn’t sure how much they would be able to help since they didn’t have the artifact that had swapped him and little Jason. The people with the most hands on experience in this type of situation were the speedsters, so getting their input first would most likely be the smartest thing.

Until he knew more though, he should not let any more information about the future slip. The things he had revealed last night had hopefully been too insignificant or vague to have any real effect and since he didn’t feel as if the future had changed dramatically, he hoped he was in the clear for now.

When his stomach started to rumble he was pulled back from his thoughts and finally forced himself to get up, Ace at his side the entire time while he changed into some sweats (Alfred had left him some of Bruce’s clothes in wise preparation) and made his way down to the kitchen.

“Good morning, Master Jason.”

Alfred was of course already there, bustling around the kitchen, greeting Jason in the same manner as he had done since the day he met the old man. A lot of things might have changed over the years, but Alfred Pennyworth certainly was not one of them.

“Hey Alfie,” Jason said, finding himself in the same seat at the breakfast bar he had always sat in as a child without even thinking about it.

“Did you sleep well? You always have…always had problems sleeping in places you weren’t used to as a child.”

Jason heard the quiet concern in the butler's voice and as always he was so very grateful for his quasi grandfather. The man took care of everyone under the Manor’s roof, no matter what weirdness was currently going on.

“It’s my old room, that’s not unfamiliar,” Jason said in an amused tone. “I still sleep here sometimes after patrol or during the holidays. Granted, the room has been redecorated in my time, but it’s still…mine.”

Alfred must have sensed his slight hesitation before the last word, but he didn’t ask, only studied Jason with those intense eyes that saw so much more than people often thought. Jason’s relationship with his room had been a complicated one, and he was sure even Alfred could never suss out the reason for that just by looking at him, but Jason still continued, intending to alleviate the concern he could see on Alfred’s face.

“I don’t think I had such a good night’s sleep in a long time, Alfie. And not getting woken up by an eight-year-old jumping on top of me was also pretty nice, I have to admit.”

“The woes of parenthood,” Alfred said, commiserating and fond.

The way he said it had the image of a tiny Bruce Wayne jumping on Alfred’s bed pop up in Jason’s head and he was just about to ask if that had ever happened when a whine and scratching made him look towards the patio door.

“I believe Ace is waiting for you to take him on his morning walk,” Alfred pointed out and Jason immediately got up, heading for the door.

Once upon a time this had been an ingrained part of his morning and he patted Ace on the head in apology as he was reaching for the door.

“Shoes, Master Jason.”

Alfred sounded just as fondly exasperated as Jason always did when he had to remind Lian to wear a jacket outside (“But daddy’s uniform doesn’t even have any sleeves.” “That’s because your daddy is a moron, sweetheart.”) and Jason quickly slipped into some of Bruce’s boots before finally heading outside with Ace.

The dog zoomed out onto the grass, eager to take care of his business, and Jason felt a little guilty that he had forgotten to let him out earlier. Getting into the practice again would surely be beneficial once they got Lian her dog. As much as she was promising to take care of it herself, neither Jason nor Roy really believed that (or would demand that of her; she was only eight, after all).

Jason made his way slowly around the main garden, watching Ace bound after a squirrel or a leaf, coming back to him to get petted every few minutes. He would have to bring a tennis ball the next time they went for a walk and maybe he could even teach Ace a new trick or two - he had seen Damian work with Titus for years, after all.

A little voice in Jason’s head was reminding him that it was dangerous to make plans like that, that he shouldn’t get attached to Ace again because the dog had already died in his time, but…but how could he resist those warm dark eyes and the excited way the German Shephard was bounding around his legs?

Jason would enjoy the time he had with him, even if it hurt once he went back home.

Back in the kitchen the rest of the household had joined Alfred. Bruce was perusing the newspaper, coffee in hand, while Dick was sitting next to him, eyes barely open. His head was resting in one hand while the other blindly shovelled cereal into his mouth and Jason’s lips quirked up in a smile at the sight. Some things truly never changed.

As Jason rounded the table he couldn’t resist the urge to ruffle Dick’s hair, relishing in the undignified squawk his brother let out and the uncoordinated flailing that followed.

“Jay,” Dick whined, patting his hair back down. “What the hell, man?”

“Oh, it’s payback time, Little Dickie,” Jason laughed and the grin on his face might have been more Red Hood than Jason Todd. “Now I’m the older brother and you can bet your precious wingdings that I’m going to enjoy the hell out of that.”

Dick finally looked awake now and Jason only grinned wider at the narrow eyed-stare levelled at him.

“So this is how you want to play it, Little Wing?” Dick asked, voice challenging. Never let it be said that Jason didn’t know exactly how to goad his brother into a childish endeavour. “You’re so on.”

Jason was about to retort when Bruce stopped him with a mild “Boys, please, not at breakfast.”

The fact that Bruce didn’t outright forbid them from this competition just showed how little experience the man currently had with sibling rivalry (Tim and Damian would give him practically a Master’s degree in that). In Jason’s time he would have set a stop to this before the challenge could have even been issued – not that that ever really discouraged Jason or any of his siblings; they are just sneakier about it.

Jason knew to bide his time, so he sat down and let Bruce pull him into a light conversation. He could feel Dick’s suspicious glances the whole time and internally he was cackling.

Dick could try all he wanted to predict what Jason would do, but Jason had the advantage of knowing Dick way better and also the added bonus of years’ worth of experience in prank wars against vicious little brothers. He was going to win this without even breaking a sweat.

First though he would let Bruce believe that he had forgotten about it, like the responsible adult he was.

They talked about Ace, Bruce’s work, the last book Jason read – nothing important as they both avoided any topics that might be a risk with the entire time travel situation.

Though that was of course something they couldn’t ignore forever.

“I think I need to talk to one of the speedsters,” Jason said eventually, once breakfast was finished and conversation had faded into a comfortable silence.

“You think they can help?”

“In getting me and little Jason swapped back? Maybe, but I’m not sure. I’m more concerned with whether whatever I do here changes things. Speedsters are usually really good in figuring that out at least.”

“I’ll ask Wally to come by,” Dick said, phone already in hand as he typed out a message.

Bruce only nodded so Jason assumed Barry must be busy elsewhere. And it’s not that Jason didn’t trust Wally but younger Wally (and oftentimes even older Wally) could be a lot – especially in combination with Dick. Whenever those two babysat Lian she came back so hopped up on second hand energy it was a miracle if Roy and Jason could put her to bed before midnight.

“He’ll drop by as soon as he can,” Dick announced after a few seconds, holding up his phone to show the screen, and Jason quirked a smile. Typical speedster answer; they never commited to a certain time because they would inevitably be late. How superspeed and time management skills were opposite talents Jason never understood, but he had learned to live with it, just like every other superhero he knew.

As it was a Sunday no one had any pressing business to attend Jason ended up lounging in the sitting room for a while with Dick, playing video games and honestly enjoying the time spent with just the two of them for once.

Don’t get him wrong, he loved his family, but it had gotten quite big in the future. There were usually way more people around whenever they met up in the Manor and although their little brothers had mostly grown out of their rivalry (well, at least out of the dangerous part) and their need to impress Dick, they usually get more attention than Jason from their oldest brother – which sounded horribly whiny, but hey, Jason could be a little dramatic in his own head. 

And also, Bruce had gotten way more uptight about games that involved a lot of gore and killing, so playing a good old fashioned zombie shooter with Dick was doubly fun.

“Man, you must have been playing this for years,” Dick complained amicably as Jason finished another round with a lot more kills than him. “Since when have you been so into shooters?”

Jason hadn’t seen this game since he died and his skills with guns mostly stemmed from real life, but Dick didn’t need to know that.

“You’re just horrible at it, Dickface. You only beat little me because he’s 14 and hadn’t seen a video game until he moved in here.”

Jason's wide grin and smug tone earned him a huff and an elbow to the ribs which he skilfully dodged. 

“Hah, too slow, little bro.”

God, he would never get enough of these little brother nicknames and the way they made Dick scowl. Sweet, sweet revenge at last.

Jason could see Dick’s retaliation move a mile away and so he expertly twisted them when his brother tried to tackle him (he was such a hothead at that age), bringing them both down to the floor. What followed was not an outright fight, more of a tussle that ended with Jason pinning Dick to the floor, using his greater height and weight to immobilize him before he mercilessly started to tickle his brother.

Dick was gasping with laughter by the time Bruce walked through the door, where he immediately froze at the sight before him, doing a double take as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“Jason, let your brother go.”

The words should have sounded stern but Jason heard the suppressed laughter underneath them and when he looked up he clearly saw amusement dancing in Bruce’s eyes.

Still, Jason let go off Dick and got back onto the couch, watching with a victorious smirk as Dick slowly collected himself and also stood up.

“You had an unfair advantage,” Dick muttered when he sat back down on the couch and Jason quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, you know all of my moves, but I don’t know yours. That’s not fair.”

Aww, had young Dick been such a sore loser?

“You should always be prepared to change your tactics, isn’t that right, B?”

Oh, Jason knew he shouldn’t enjoy getting one over Dick so much, but as Bruce nodded at his advice and Dick scowled even harder Jason couldn’t help it. He was old enough now to know that Bruce didn’t really have a favourite, that he loved all his children equally (though maybe he showed it with each of them differently), but some distant part of his brain still classified Dick as the golden boy who could do no wrong, so this was just hilarious to him.

“Okay, how about a real spar then? Show me those skills, future boy.”

And there was that good old Dick Grayson fire, the challenge in his voice and the calculating look in his eyes.

“My pleasure.”

Bruce didn’t even protest, simply joined them when they made their way down into the Cave. Jason changed into some of Bruce’s workout clothes and after a short warmup he came face to face with his brother on the training mats, their father sitting off to the side, an interested tilt to his head.

They sparred for several rounds and even though Jason quite easily won the first few matches, he had to admit that it got harder the longer Dick had time to study his moves. Still, Jason prevailed in each round, drenched in sweat and covered in bruises, but ultimately he managed to somehow pin Dick until he tapped the mat in surrender.

Bruce eventually told them to stop before they exhausted themselves, but there was a glint in Dick’s eye when he pulled him up that told Jason clear as day to expect revenge.

“Your technique is a little sloppy,” Jason commented with a grin and the twitch of Dick’s left eye was all the warning Jason got before his brother launched himself at him.

Jason had to admit he didn’t expect such a hasty attack and so he found himself pinned by his brother, who had obviously not forgotten their first match of the day and began tickling Jason – who’d have thought he was such an eye for an eye guy?

Jason was breathless from laughter and winding himself uselessly under Dick when suddenly the tickling fingers stopped and Jason heard Dick pull in a surprised breath.

“Little Wing…”

Dick’s voice sounded oddly shocked and sad and once Jason wiped the tears from his eyes and looked what had made his older brother stop he found him staring down at Jason’s stomach. His shirt had ridden up from his attempts to get free and now his numerous scars were on display, although Jason could tell that Dick was mainly focused on the biggest one: the Y-incision from his autopsy.

It looked gruesome, he knew, but luckily his shirt hadn’t gone up far enough to reveal the entire shape, only the straight line downwards from his sternum was on display.

Jason hastily pulled his shirt back down and when he looked up he met Dick’s wide blue eyes. Bruce had also come over at some point and was now standing behind Dick, his face just as twisted up in concern.

“Jason, what happened?” Dick asked quietly, completely disregarding their unspoken agreement not to speak about the future.

“Surgery,” Jason said curtly.

The disbelieving looks he got were completely justified, as surgery scars looked very different. His autopsy might have been performed by a doctor, but it certainly had not been sewn up or cared for afterwards like it might have been for a living person on account of him being, well, dead. As a result the scar was uneven and rough, by far the worst on Jason’s body (and he had a lot).

“It’s fine, everything healed up okay,” he reassured them with what he hoped was a winning smile.

Dick seemed like he wanted to dig deeper, demand a better explanation, but Bruce’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. Their father didn’t look thrilled, but he nodded at Jason in acceptance.

When Dick let him up Jason vanished into the showers without another word. It had been a long time since he was self-conscious about his scars, his family and teammates the only people who might see them and he didn’t have to hide anything from them.

But seeing the shocked look on Dick’s face…it was a harsh reminder that even though Jason had come to terms with his resurrection, worked hard to build his life again without letting his past hold him back, there was a little Jason out there who would have to go through all of that horror. And Jason could spare him that with just a few words…

Jason really needed to talk to Wally.

No one brought up the scar for the rest of the day and everyone acted so normal around Jason that he knew it was deliberate. He didn’t mind not having to dodge questions, but he also wanted that unburdened familiarity back - and what was more familiar in this house than going on patrol together.

“You want to join us?” Bruce asked, already in the suit but with the cowl still off.

“Yeah, I think that would be fun.”

Bruce studied him for a few long seconds and Jason half expected him to say no, but then he nodded, a small smile appearing on his face.

“If you would like to. But don’t antagonize your brother out there, you’ve had your fun earlier.”

Jason gave Bruce a sloppy salute and his father’s smile got even wider.

“Sure, just give me some body armor and a domino-“

“You can take one of my spare suits, I don’t mind, Jay,” Dick said and immediately frowned as Jason’s face undoubtedly twisted into some strange grimace as he tried simultaneously to hide his absolute horror at the idea and keep from bursting out into uncontrollable laughter.

“What?” Dick asked with narrowed eyes.

Jason could have been honest and told Dick that he would never touch the monstrosity he called a vigilante suit or, more importantly, give anyone the opportunity to take a picture of him in that getup. But that might also mean that Dick would come to his senses earlier than he was supposed to and redesign it and Jason didn’t want to change the future…or minimize the amount of hilarious pictures that were available of Dick in the Discowing suit. His other siblings needed some proof that Dick was an idiot, after all.

“Two Nightwings out there might get confusing,” Jason said in what he hoped was a reasonable tone, “and I’m not sure your suit would fit me.”

Dick didn’t look wholly convinced, but he let it go and soon enough Jason joined Batman and Nightwing in the Batmobile in nondescript body armour and a simeple red domino.

It was easy once they were in the city to fall into the familiar patterns of patrol. They didn’t split up as far as they usually would have in Jason’s time, as both Bruce and Dick were used to a younger Jason who they had to keep a closer eye on, but Jason didn’t really mind.

As long as he was here, he wanted to spend time with his family members after all.

They were just wrapping up a mugging (and boy had that unlucky mugger looked terrified when three vigilantes dropped down behind him), when Jason spotted a flash of light on a nearby rooftop.

As they grappled back up Jason looked closer and could make out a shadow moving on top of that roof, apparently following them. He swung around on instinct, only intending to investigate, but as he got close he realized his mistake too late.

He could see the figure on the rooftop clearly now and recognized them instantly, the skinny frame and big camera a dead giveaway. But his rapid approach from above startled the kid who was standing way too close to the edge and with one panicked step back the boy lost his footing and began to fall.

Jason didn’t think, muscle memory taking over as he let go of his line and fell after the kid. They collided in mid-air and Jason instantly clamped an arm around him, shooting his grapple with his free hand and pulling them out of the free fall way too close to the ground for comfort.

His shoulder screamed at the sudden strain, but that barely registered in comparison to the living, breathing kid clinging to him with a death grip. He swung them over another roof and once they were back on solid ground he grabbed the boy by the shoulders and held him far enough away to check him over.

Adrenaline was still pounding through Jason’s veins and he didn’t even register what came out of his mouth once he was sure the kid was okay.

“Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne, what the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten killed.”

Tim was looking up at him with wide blue eyes, his mouth open in what seemed to be shock, although he quickly found his voice again.

“What…what did you just call me?”

“Yes, what did you just call him?” came Batman’s voice from behind Jason.

Oh, _fuck_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the nice comments, kudos and subscriptions =D
> 
> If you'd like to chat, here is a link to [my Tumblr](https://sun-moon-stars-jedi.tumblr.com/).


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of you screaming at Jason for being a dumbass himbo after the last chapter, I was laughing so hard 😂. Thank you, each and every one of you, for the delightful comments. You all made my day!

“Whoa, what happened to this neighbourhood? Every building here is new.”

Ah, yes. The joys of driving through the city with his time traveling miniature husband in the backseat. Well, time for some lying and misdirection, just what every good marriage needed.

Roy was just turning around in the passenger seat, prepared to placate Jason with some inane comment about cities changing all the time when Lian beat him to it.

“The old buildings were all destroyed in an earth quake.”

Jason spun around so fast to look at her, expression absolutely flabbergasted, that Roy was worried he had given himself whiplash.

“An earth quake? In Gotham?”

Lian was just about to explain some more when Roy hastily leaned back far enough between the seats to get her attention, giving her a meaningful look.

“Lian, you know the time travel rules. No information that could change anything.”

Lian rolled her eyes at Roy and he heard Jason let out a huff off to his side before the two of them shared a look that very clearly said ‘Can you believe this guy?’

“It’s not as if Jason could prevent an earth quake,” Lian said, looking at Roy as if he was stupid for not considering such an obvious fact. “And I didn’t even tell him when it happened, or any details like that.”

Judging by the glint in Jason’s eyes, he was definitely going to ask though. And while the earth quake might not be something Jason could influence, there were a lot of other events he really shouldn’t know about.

Roy sent a quick look back towards the driver’s seat and Bruce only imperceptibly lifted an eyebrow at his silent question. He was fluent enough in Wayne speak by now though to understand that he was on his own here.

Stupid Bruce was making Roy play the bad cop so he could be the nice one with little Jay - because having to parent his husband instead of his actual father doing it wasn’t weird at all.

“No talking or asking about the last few years,” Roy said firmly, looking from one child to the other. “I mean it.”

Jason pursed his lips, seemingly ready to argue, but after a few seconds he nodded at Roy, slumping back into his seat petulantly. Lian on the other hand stared defiantly at Roy, holding his gaze for nearly a minute before she finally relented with a put-upon sigh.

“Fine,” she huffed, throwing her hands dramatically in the air, “then what are we supposed to talk about, dad? The weather?”

Oh, how Roy missed the time when his sweet little girl hadn’t given him so much sass yet. Her teenage years were sure promising to be fun.

“Well,” Roy said slowly, stalling for time.

Well shit, what could they talk about? Not vigilantism, or the city, or most things about adult Jason’s life…there had to be something though. Roy cast about for a few long seconds, letting his eyes drift around the car in the hopes of finding inspiration there.

They landed on the t-shirt Jason was wearing now. It, just like the rest of his clothes, belonged to Damian and had been stored along with clothes for the rest of the family (and a lot of other vigilantes) in their appartement in case of post patrol emergencies. Thank god for Bat over-preparedness, because having Jason run around in the old Robin costume would have been a disaster, and nothing Roy, adult Jason or Lian owned would have fit him.

But it wasn’t really the shirt that caught Roy’s attention so much as the cartoony animal print on it. Damian had firmly insisted that he only owned the shirt because it advertised the Gotham animal shelter, but Roy was convinced the current Robin also liked cartoony animals, just like any other kid. Which brought him to

“Pokémon,” Roy said rather loudly, snapping his fingers. “You can talk about Pokémon. You’re always telling me about how many new ones you caught on your Gameboy.”

“It’s not a _Gameboy_ ,” Lian immediately exclaimed, sounding horrified.

Roy had to bite back a grin. Yes, this would work rather nicely.

“It’s a Switch, that’s something completely different!”

“There are new Pokémon games?” Jason asked, leaning forward in excitement.

“Oh yeah, so many. See, there’s-“

Ah, Roy just knew both of his little nerds so well. This would keep them busy for a while he thought as he turned back around, throwing Bruce a smug look. Who said Roy didn’t know how to manipulate his daughter and husband?

Bruce didn’t look away from the road, but there was definitely an uptick to the side of his mouth, which made Roy even more satisfied. Getting Bruce to openly show amusement was always an accomplishment in his books.

With the sound of a progressively more heated discussion concerning the finer strategies of battling fantasy creatures coming from the backseat, Roy felt it was safe to speak quietly to Bruce without being overheard a few minutes later.

“So, do you have any idea how long little Jason will be here? And if he and his adult version will just swap back?”

Bruce barely glanced at him, but Roy could read the tense lines of his shoulders easily enough to know that the answer was a no. Letting out a long breath, Roy checked through the rear-view mirror to make sure the kids still weren’t paying attention before he opened his mouth to ask the one question that was really important here, but Bruce beat him to it.

“Our rules for time travel have a reason, Roy,” the Wayne patriarch said, voice low. “We can’t let him know about certain things. The consequences could be…”

Bruce trailed off, his eyes coming up from the road to also look back through the mirror, simply staring at Jason with such an open expression of regret and longing Roy had to look away because it felt too personal, too much like an intrusion to witness this.

“We can’t,” Bruce finished, focus back on the road, and it sounded as if he was saying it to convince himself just as much as Roy.

The rest of the drive was filled with the chatter of the kids, but Roy and Bruce kept silent, both undoubtedly thinking about what this decision would mean.

Roy had enough experience with time travel to understand why they had to act this way, but that didn’t mean he had to be happy about it. He would have to focus on the good things this blast from the past would bring with it, like the opportunity for Jason’s daughter and younger siblings to meet this version of him. Lingering on the thoughts of ‘What if’ that this unadvisable opportunity to change things presented would get them nowhere.

And at least Roy knew that no matter how dark the coming years would be for the teenager currently laughing in the backseat, he would ultimately find his happy ending. He just had to hold onto that.

Once they finally arrived at the gates of Wayne Manor Bruce took them up the long driveway, steering the car towards the civilian garage instead of the Batcave.

The kids were out of their seats faster than Roy could unbuckle his seatbelt and already making their way inside before he and Bruce had even set a single foot out of the car. The promise of Alfred’s cookies tended to have that effect on them and Roy way pretty used to being abandoned in the car upon their arrival. Good to know that some things hadn’t changed.

“No running in the house,” Bruce shouted after them, which earned him twin looks of exasperation but at least both kids complied, Jason even stopping to wait for them in the foyer before Lian reluctantly did so as well.

“I forgot there was a time when Jason listened to you,” Roy said quietly as they hurried after them and he had to laugh at the deep sigh Bruce let out in answer.

“Wow, can you move any slower, old man?” Jason teased by the time they caught up with them, grinning up at Bruce while Lian just rolled her eyes, impatiently tapping her foot next to them.

“Any more sass and there’ll be no sweets for you, Jaylad,” Bruce said, acting stern, but there was a sparkle of amusement in his eyes and the way he ruffled Jason’s hair spoke of the deepest fondness.

Jason wasn’t intimidated in the slightest, his grin only getting more confident.

“Pft, Alfie likes me more than you and he’s the boss, so you can’t do anything.”

Lian let out a snort of laughter at that and Roy was only moderately successful in holding his grin back. Not that Bruce seemed upset, the frown on his face was entirely for show and everyone knew it.

“Is that-“

The rest of Bruce’s sentence was drowned out by a loud crash that had all of them snap their heads around to look up the staircase.

Halfway up there Tim stood frozen, staring down at them with his mouth open and eyes huge, the detritus of what seemed to have been several mugs scattered around his bare feet.

“Tim, did you get hurt?” Bruce asked, already making his way towards him.

Tim completely ignored him, his focus entirely on Jason, and with each passing second his expression changed further from surprise to absolute delight.

“Either I’m hallucinating and you all were right about the dangers of mixing energy drinks with coffee, or that is Jason. _Robin_ Jason.”

Those last words were said in the most awestruck and childishly hopeful tone Roy had ever heard from his brother-in-law and he was suddenly reminded that Jason had been Tim’s Robin, his idol growing up who still held a very special place in his heart.

“Yeah, that’s me,” Jason called up, mustering Tim with interest. “Who are you?”

“Tim,” the older teen answered and without waiting for Bruce to climb the last few steps up to him he simply jumped on the banister and slid down to them, landing with a flourish that was so typically Robin it had Jason’s eyes widen in recognition.

“Tim Dra- Tim Wayne. It is an honour to meet you, Jason.”

Tim was practically vibrating with excitement, a wide, eager grin on his face as he held out his hand to Jason.

“Wayne? So you’re my…brother?” Jason asked a little hesitantly as he took Tim’s hand. Jason didn’t seem to think anything of the correction, most likely putting it down to Tim not being used to his new last name after the adoption yet. “And another Robin.”

There was a hint of sadness in Jason’s voice and Roy thought this might be the first time the kid seriously confronted the idea that he wouldn’t be Robin forever. He could tell that Tim realised this too, his gaze softening with understanding where he was looking down at his brother.

“Yeah, I am. I was Robin after you. All I wanted was to make you proud, follow your example. You were amazing as Robin.”

“Oh, that’s…thank you.”

That adorable blush was back on Jason’s cheeks and the hint of sadness had been thoroughly chased away by the pride now sparkling in Jason’s eyes.

“I’m sure you’re also a very good Robin, Tim,” Jason said a little awkwardly and the smile on Tim’s face was bright enough to light up the whole room.

Bruce had come back down the stairs, standing a few feet away from his sons now, and there was so much adoration and love in his expression, Roy felt the urge to get out his camera and capture this sweet family moment.

Also, Roy absolutely planned on teasing his Jason with how adorably cute his younger self had been and pictures would make that so much better. Not that that was his priority, but…

Before Roy could do so however footsteps sounded from one of the hallways and a second later Damian entered the foyer, Titus trotting along beside him.

The kid came to an abrupt stop a few feet away from their little group, eyes methodically moving from one person to the next, lingering on Jason for a few seconds before they snapped away to settle in an incredulous glare on Bruce.

“Father,” Damian demanded with a clear note of forced calmness to his voice, “´did you take in another black-haired, blue-eyed orphan, even though you told me two days ago we didn’t have any _space_ for the litter of kittens I wanted to bring home?”

There was an edge to Damian’s words that promised retribution and Roy was very glad that the years with the Wayne’s had at least mellowed his territorial tendencies a bit – the Damian he first met would have used knives instead of words to welcome any new addition to the family, especially one he might perceive as competition to the Robin mantle or his father’s affection.

“Damian, you already have enough pets,” Bruce said in a tone that made clear how little hope he had of this argument ever swaying his youngest son, “and kittens are not the same as children.”

Damian immediately opened his mouth to argue, but Lian was faster, the wide grin on her face an obvious give-away that she wanted to be the one to deliver the big news to her uncle before anyone else could.

“Dami, that’s not a new kid. It’s Jason.”

The double take Damian did at those words was priceless, but the second it clicked in his mind he was staring back at Jason, studying him from head to toe before he made his way across the hall to him in big strides.

“Jason Todd,” Damian said, and Jason’s expression turned confused and wary at the flat tone. He didn’t know Damian well enough yet to recognize that the kid was simply surprised but didn’t want to let it show. 

“You’re so…short.”

Damian’s statement was so unexpected, Roy couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Lian and Tim were also giggling and even Bruce had to disguise an amused snort as a cough. The only person who wasn’t amused was Jason, who was now glaring up at Damian, straightening up deliberately while simultaneously looking offended the way only a teenager could. 

“So what? I can still kick your ass.”

“Tt, I don’t fight little children, shortstack.”

Ah, puberty fuelled rivalry at its finest.

There were only really a couple of inches separating the two of them, but going by Damian’s mischievous grin, he would use this opportunity to get back at Jason for all the height jokes his brother had ever made at his expense. And Roy had to hand it to him, using Jason’s own nickname against him was pretty funny.

The way Jason’s expression darkened made Damian’s grin only grow bigger and Roy was already preparing himself to step in if this should go sideways when luckily there was another interruption that made it unnecessary.

“Little D, what’s taking so long, why aren’t you…hey, what’s with the family meeting in the foyer? And without me, I’m hurt.”

Dick had walked in and come to a stop right next to Roy as he took in the room, quirking an eyebrow in question at him when no one answered.

Before Roy could begin to explain a snicker drew all of their eyes back to Jason and with the most satisfied tone ever the teenager repeated “ _Little_ D, huh?”, staring triumphantly at Damian.

Damian’s face went red faster than Roy had ever seen, the indignant scowl he levelled at Jason promising horrible revenge.

“Shut up, Todd!”

That, surprisingly, did not work at all and soon Jason was outright laughing while Damian fumed.

Next to Roy Dick had gone absolutely still, eyes fixed on the laughing boy in the middle of the room.

“Is that…Jason?” he asked, sounding hesitant and amazed at the same time.

At the mention of his name Jason finally stopped taunting his (younger?) brother to look over at Dick, and there was a strange mix of joy and nervousness playing across his face as he mustered his older brother.

“What, did you forget me in your old age, Dickie?” Jason finally called with a crooked grin, making Dick let out a startled laugh before he immediately bounded across the room and enveloped Jason in a tight hug.

“Never!” Dick declared with conviction, “how could I ever forget my little brother?”

“Dunno,” Jason mumbled, barely audible where his face was pressed into Dick’s chest, “seems you have a few more now, so…”

Roy knew that tone, that flippant way Jason had when he was talking about things he was pretending were a joke but really weren’t, and his heart ached at the self-doubt his husband had always carried with him. He was one of the kindest and bravest men Roy had ever met and still, he always seemed so surprised when people showed any genuine affection for him. It had gotten better over the years, but somewhere deep down there would always be a part of Jason that shaped by the little boy who had been so alone and hadn’t expected that to ever change.

But even if they couldn’t completely convince him, his family would forever strive to remind Jason that he was loved, of that Roy was absolutely certain. So it wasn’t a surprise to him when Dick immediately reacted to do just that.

“Hey,” he said firmly, pushing Jason just far enough away so he could look him in the eyes, “I would never forget you, Jay. No matter how big this family gets or how many siblings we have. You’re always going to be my Little Wing, understood.”

“I…yeah, I…”

Jason seemed incapable of formulating a coherent reply, but Dick didn’t need one, he simply pulled him back into his arms and pressed a kiss into the thick curls on top of his head.

“I’ve missed this,” Dick said with a contented sigh a few moments later, his cheek resting on top of Jason’s head now.

“What, hugs? Can’t imagine you don’t find enough victims in this big family,” Jason mumbled in a long-suffering tone, though the way his arms were still slung firmly around Dick made it very clear that he wasn’t truly opposed with this show of affection – quite the opposite really.

“People love my hugs, I’ll have you know,” Dick declared imperiously, making all of his brothers snort simultaneously, to which his grin only widened.

“No, being able to just wrap you up, Little Wing. You get so tall once you grow up and while I love adult you, teenage you is just the perfect cuddle size.”

Dick underscored that statement by hugging Jason even tighter and lifting him up high enough to noisily kiss his cheeks, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes as he did so. Jason immediately flailed to try to get free, but Dick’s octopus hold was too skilful to present him with any chance of escape.

“Stop it, Dickwing,” Jason shouted, still squirming in his brothers grip until his knee connected with Dick’s side and his older brother finally let him go with a surprised yelp.

“You’re so annoying,” Jason huffed as he took a wide step away from Dick.

Roy didn’t miss the way his eyes darted over to him as if to check if he had seen what had happened. They flitted away again the second Roy made eye contact with Jason, and the way Jason firmly stared at his shoes instead as if he was embarrassed had Roy’s heart melt. God, teenage crushes were brutal, weren’t they?

“Ah, don’t be like that, Jay. You’re just so cute, I can’t help myself,” Dick said, sounding only the tiniest bit apologetic.

“Well, at least you haven’t changed,” Jason commented dryly before turning to Tim and Damian. “So, you two are my new brothers. Is that it, or did Bruce really fill up the whole house with orphans?”

“In a few years, maybe,” Tim said with a snort, which made Bruce huff out an annoyed breath. “As of yet, it’s just the four of us and Cass.”

“Who’s Cass?” Jason asked, just as a shadow dropped down from the rafters.

Most of the Bats barely even blinked, but Roy hadn’t even noticed her before, still not sure how everyone else did it even after all these years, and he startled at her sudden appearance. Jason and Lian were also surprised, although Jason controlled it well enough that his flinch was fluidly transformed into a subtle move that brought him closer to Dick’s side again on instinct.

“Me.” 

Cass stood up from the crouch she had landed in with her typical gracefulness, smiling wide and open at Jason.

“Nice to meet you, little brother,” Cass said, and at her delighted tone the cautious tension began to bleed out of Jason’s body as he waved back a little shyly.

Unknown people dropping from the ceiling could be a little intimidating, even to Robins, but Cass apparently had no problem in overcoming this because her next words had Jason grinning excitedly.

“Want to get cookies?”

“Hell yes,” was Jason’s very enthusiastic answer, completely ignoring the tired “Language!” from Bruce. 

“I can tell already, you’re my favourite sibling.”

Cass’s smile got even wider and she reached out a hand, leading Jason toward the door and completely ignoring Dick’s overly-dramatic pout behind them.

“She’s everyone’s favourite,” Lian declared, skipping over to take Cass’s other hand and then leaning forward to make her walk faster. “Come on, auntie.”

“Patience, grasshopper,” Cass said sagely, pulling Lian and Jason to a stop. Then, with no warning beyond a wicked smirk she let go of their hands and sprinted down the hallway, shouting “Last one gets no cookies” back.

“That’s cheating,” Jason yelled after her as he began running, Lian just a step behind.

Tim and Damian exchanged a look and then they were also off, shoving at each other to get in the lead and rapidly gaining on the smaller kids.

“No running in the… eh, they never listen.”

All five were down the hallway and around a corner before Bruce could even finish his sentence, making Roy feel the kind of sympathy only parents of energetic, headstrong children could.

At least he normally only had to deal with one of them, not five. And yes, most of the Wayne kids were technically adults, but the moment they got together, it was like the maturity switch was flipped to off – which was hilarious for Roy, but nerve-wracking for Bruce, as he well knew.

“Look on the bright side, B. At least they listen to Alfred,” Roy said as he clapped his hand on Bruce’s shoulder in commiseration.

“Thanks, Roy. You’re always so very helpful.”

“That’s what I strive for.”

All Bruce did was grunt in answer but seeing as he hadn’t shaken off Roy’s hand he couldn’t be too annoyed.

“So, what’s going on then?” Dick asked, who unexpectantly hadn’t followed his siblings and niece to battle over cookies. “How’s Robin Jason here and what happened to regular Jason?”

“Well, you see,” Roy began to explain, “this morning in bed-“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Jason meeting his siblings from the future. It was fun to write, at least.
> 
> Thank you all again for commenting, you don't know how happy hearing from you makes me =D


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